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Homemade Spinach Souffle – Delicious And Easy Recipe

This spinach souffle is super easy to make and tastes delicious! Some links in this article are affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.

This is one of the super easy dishes that sounds much harder than it is. And it looks fancy, so people think you put a lot of work into it – the perfect kind of recipe!

Overhead shot of a whole spinach souffle on wooden background.

Can I make this with fresh spinach?

Absolutely you can you fresh spinach in place of frozen. It takes a little longer for it to wilt down, but it works very well.

Make sure you chop it before you saute it. Add a half cup water and heat it on medium heat until it steams before you add the spinach.

Let it steam covered for a couple minutes, then remove the lid and turn the heat down slightly and stir it until it wilts.

Regardless of whether you use fresh or frozen spinach, do not cook it until it dies. You want it to retain a gorgeous green color; saute it just until it gives up its water and softens the leaves.

Sauted and chopped spinach in a shallow pan.

What’s the best way to drain spinach after you cook it?

I place my colander into another bowl to catch the “juice” you need for this recipe. If you don’t need to save the spinach water, just place your spinach into a colander.

Use a spatula to press the spinach against the colander to release its moisture, which allows the water to drain from the colander easily. You generally want spinach to be relatively “dry,” so keep pressing it until you don’t see water coming out anymore.

Draining spinach in a colander with a spatula to press out liquid.

How do I line the souffle dish for a spinach souffle?

To grease your souffle dish, hold your stick of butter open but still in the wrapper so you don’t get any on your (clean) hands but it will get on your souffle dish.

Run the butter around the bottom and sides of your souffle dish to coat it thoroughly. It doesn’t need to be a thick layer, but you do need to have butter throughout.

Add your freshly grated parmesan cheese* to the souffle dish and slowly rotate it so that the cheese sticks to the bottom and sides of the dish. You don’t need to press it in, but you want to have cheese in a fairly even coating.

Souffle dish lined with parmesan cheese.

This keeps your souffle from sticking to the bottom and the sides, much the same way you butter and flour a cake pan when you bake a cake.

*Yes, you want to use freshly grated parmesan cheese. It has a much better texture than pregrated cheese, and it melts better as the spinach souffle bakes, as well. Under no circumstances should you use the green can cheese.

Do I need to use heavy cream for a spinach souffle?

The short answer? Yes, use heavy cream.

Milk won’t work. There’s not enough fat and too much water in it, so the souffle doesn’t set properly. You can try to use half and half, but you will likely need to bake this for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Even whole milk will not work. Don’t try it, as you will be disappointed with the results.

What is a water bath, and why do I want to use one?

A water bath means that you cook something – usually an egg dish like a custard or souffle or pots de creme – in the dish that gets placed inside a larger dish that then gets filled with water. This cooks your dish more gently, so you don’t have rubbery eggs, for example.

Essentially, you place your souffle into the dish, then place that into a larger dish where the souffle dish doesn’t touch the edges. You want to add water until it comes partway up the souffle dish – at least a couple inches.

Pouring water in a baking pan for a water bath with a spinach souffle.

I find it easiest to arrange the dishes and place them in the oven, then use my liquid measuring cup to add water to the outside pan. This ensures I don’t accidentally get any water into my spinach souffle, and I don’t spill it on the way to the oven.

To be safe, use an oven mitt to pull your oven rack slightly out of the oven to give you more freedom to pour in the water without burning your hand.

Whole baked spinach souffle in its dish.

How to Make Spinach Souffle

Use butter to grease the bottom and sides of a two quart ceramic souffle dish. Use the fresh grated cheese to line the greased bowl like you’d flour a cake pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cook and drain the spinach according to package instructions, saving the juice. Press out as much spinach water from the spinach as you can.

While the spinach cooks, chop your onions into a fairly small dice. No one wants a big bite of onion.

Diced onion on a wooden cutting board.

Melt the butter into a saucepan, and saute the onions in the butter for two minutes. Add the flour, and stir while cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Add the sauted onions and drained spinach to a large mixing bowl and gently stir.

In a separate bowl, beat the four eggs. This is where I like to use my cage whisk, as I find it easier to quickly get as much air into the eggs as I can, but use whatever whisk you have.

Basket whisk held above a silver bowl with whipped eggs.

Add the cream, spinach juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cheeses, and eggs to the large bowl and fold to combine.

Place the mixture into your souffle dish. Place the souffle dish into a larger baking pan.

Overhead of spinach souffle poured into a souffle dish to bake.

Carefully pull the rack slightly out of your oven to allow easier access. Place the larger pan on the rack, then use a liquid measuring cup to add water to the larger pan only.

Fill the larger pan to about a half inch from the top, then carefully return the rack to its place in the oven. Cook for 45 minutes, checking carefully after 35 minutes.

Let it sit for 5-1o minutes to set before you cut into it. This spinach and egg casserole tastes best the day you make it.

Slice of spinach souffle on a blue plate.

If you have leftovers, let them cool to room temperature, then place them in an airtight container in your fridge for up to three days. To reheat, gently microwave a serving until just heated.

Save this spinach souffle recipe to make again later!

Overhead shot of a whole spinach souffle on wooden background.

Spinach Souffle

This simple and delicious souffle is incredibly easy to make and tastes amazing. It's a perfect protein packed breakfast or brunch everyone will love.
4.84 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: French
Diet: Vegetarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 358kcal
Author: Michelle

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 20 ounces frozen chopped spinach thawed
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus a little extra to grease the dish
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup spinach juice reserved from when draining the frozen spinach
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg fresh grated
  • 1 1/2 cups mix of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses
  • 4 eggs

Instructions

  • Butter a 2 quart souffle dish. Coat butter with a layer of parmesan.
    1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Cook spinach over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, then drain completely, saving the juice.
    20 ounces frozen chopped spinach
  • Melt butter in saucepan, and saute onions in butter 2 minutes. Add flour, and stir while cooking another 2-3 minutes.
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, 3 tablespoons flour
  • Add onion mixture and drained spinach to large bowl and gently stir.
  • In a separate bowl, beat eggs.
    4 eggs
  • Add the cream, spinach juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cheeses, and eggs to large bowl and fold to combine.
    1 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup spinach juice, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 1/2 cups mix of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses
  • Place the mixture into prepped souffle dish. Place baking dish into water bath.
  • Cook for 45 minutes, checking carefully after 35 minutes.

Notes

  • If you use a tall narrow souffle dish, this may take a little longer to cook. Carefully cut into the souffle to ensure it's cooked through and return to the oven for 5-10 additional minutes if necessary.
  • For more tips and tricks, be sure to read the full article above.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 703mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g

This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.

Plate of a slice of spinach souffle with text spinach and egg casserole.

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4.84 from 6 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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  1. Kristen says:

    This sounds like a winning dish for my gang! I think I may have to add it to my Easter menu. Thanks!

  2. Laura says:

    Honestly? I have never made a souffle but I should and now I have a recipe to try. Meatless too!! I love it 🙂 Thanks for linking up this week, nice to have you along.

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